Improvement in seal-locks for freight-car doors



I. y. l.

#NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. WANDS, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEAL-LOCKS FOR FREIGHT-OTAR DOORS, ac.`

Spcclication forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,296, dated January 6, 1874; application filed November 15, 1873.

To all whom it may concer/n:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. WANDs, of Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and valua ble Improvement in Seal-Locks for Freight- Oars; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings mali ing a part of this specification, and to the letters and gures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a plan view of my seal-lock. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views ofthe same.

This invention has relation to seal-locks for the doors of freight-cars and for other purposes. It consists, first, in a thin metal strip or tag having a slot through one end and a slotted head formed on the other end, and adapted for use in combination with a spring-catch, which isapplied in a passage between two xed plates; second7 in the combination, with a tag having a slot at each end, of a slotted connecting-pin, and a spring-catch box, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The following is a description of my improvements.

In the annexed drawings, A represents the door of a freight-car, and A the door-jamb. B represents a hasp; C, a staple; D, a connect ing-pin, and E a sealing-tag, which is fastened to a lock, G. The tag E is a thin exible strip of metal, having a slot, el, through one end, and a T-shaped head, c, formed on the opposite end, through which is a slot, e2. The slot el is in line with the length of the tag, and the slot c2 is at right angles thereto, and is of such length as will allow the end of the strip to be passed through it, as shown in Fig. 2. G represents a catch or lock box composed of two plates, g h, secured together, and constructed with a passage between them for the reception of that end of the tag E having the slot el through it. In this passage is applied a springAs catch, s, which, when the tag is slipped into the box G, will spring through the slot el, and prevent the tag from being drawn out of its passage in the same direction it was introduced into it. When the hasp B is adjusted over the staple, and the pin D is passed through this staple, the tag E is passed through a slot made through the pin, and the end of this tag is then carried through theslotted head e, and introduced into the box G, where it is caught and held by the spring s. When the tag is thus applied, the pin D cannot be withdrawn from its staple without first cutting the tag and removing its head from the pin.

The head on the tag may be omitted, and in lieu thereof a card, J, may be riveted to the strip, on which card any proper directions may be printed. This card will be held by a case, K, and the tag willbe passed through `a staple, N, and secured by'a catch, s, in a box, G.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A seal-lock tag, E, of thin flexible metal, having a T-shaped slotted head, e, and a slot, c1, through its tongue, as and for the purposes described.

2. A tag having a slot, el, through one end, in combination with a box, G, having a passage through it, and a spring-catch in this passage, as and for the purposes described.

3. In combination with a tag, E, having slots c1 e2 at the ends thereof, the slotted cou nectin g-pin D, and spring-catch box G, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN c. wANDs. Witnesses: HARRY A. MACEY,

R. F. HonGE. 

